Latest News From Herd Health

Cows Have Personalities, Too
Cows Have Personalities, Too

Anyone who works with cows is bound to have “favorite” and “least favorite” based on their dispositions. Those personality traits appear to influence behaviors that can affect their health, well-being, and productivity.

 House Passes Bill to Preserve Veterinary Use of Xylazine 
House Passes Bill to Preserve Veterinary Use of Xylazine 

 The House of Representatives passed the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act on Tuesday. It will help fight illicit use of the product in humans while preserving access to the drug for animals.

Chip-less, Battery-free Sensing Technology Could be Next Phase of Animal Monitoring
Chip-less, Battery-free Sensing Technology Could be Next Phase of Animal Monitoring

A team of Irish researchers has developed a breakthrough innovation to monitor activity and health characteristics of dairy cows – and it doesn’t involve and wires, chips, batteries, or electronics of any kind.

 Merck Animal Health Expands Voluntary Recall of Banamine 
Merck Animal Health Expands Voluntary Recall of Banamine 

The company announces it is voluntarily recalling four additional batches of Banamine/Banamine-S (flunixin meglumine injection) 50 mg/mL in the United States. The product is commonly used in cattle, swine and horses.

Endovac Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Endovac Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The company, based in Columbia, Mo., manufactures vaccines for livestock to aid in the protection of numerous diseases caused by gram-negative bacteria. 

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What Is the Best Needle Size to Use When Working Cattle?

Depending on the size of the animal, viscosity of the product and administration protocols, a variety of needles might be needed. Here’s some guidelines to help decide.

Over-The-Counter Livestock Antibiotics Officially a Thing of the Past
Over-The-Counter Livestock Antibiotics Officially a Thing of the Past

Starting on June 11, over-the-counter livestock antibiotics will no longer be available through traditional retail channels.

USDA Awards $2.29 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Protect Animal Health
USDA Awards $2.29 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Protect Animal Health

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is awarding $2.29 million through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network Farm Bill program to advance APHIS’ animal health preparedness.

Syngenta’s Chris Cook Discusses How Small Changes Can Yield Big Impact
Syngenta’s Chris Cook Discusses How Small Changes Can Yield Big Impact

“Just think about doing something you can do a little better than you were doing before, and that’s going to make a step change,” says Chris Cook, head of Enogen, Syngenta Seeds.

Over-the-Counter Antibiotics: What You Need to Know Before June 11
Over-the-Counter Antibiotics: What You Need to Know Before June 11

On June 11, FDA’s Guidance for Industry #263 brings 91 over-the-counter antimicrobial products from OTC to prescription oversight. Three experts weigh in on why you need to prepare for this change now.

Don’t Assume That Old Refrigerator Is Good Enough To Store Vaccines
Don’t Assume That Old Refrigerator Is Good Enough To Store Vaccines

Household units and mini fridges are often unsuitable for maintaining veterinary products, according to a recent study by Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

What Antibiotics Will No Longer be Available OTC?
What Antibiotics Will No Longer be Available OTC?

On June 11, 2023, the following antibiotics will no longer be available for purchase over-the-counter.

If You ‘Doctor’ Livestock, a New Rule Will Determine How or If You Can Buy Antibiotics
If You ‘Doctor’ Livestock, a New Rule Will Determine How or If You Can Buy Antibiotics

Drugs such as penicillin and some others routinely used to treat cattle, hogs and other food animals will be available only with a prescription from your veterinarian, starting June 12, 2023.

VIDEO: Meet Trust In Beef Partner U.S. Roundtable For Sustainable Beef
VIDEO: Meet Trust In Beef Partner U.S. Roundtable For Sustainable Beef

To highlight the voices of individuals and companies helping beef producers on their sustainability journey, Trust In Beef™ is spotlighting the collaborative value chain program’s partners in a new video series.

Over-The-Counter Access to Antibiotics is Going Away
Over-The-Counter Access to Antibiotics is Going Away

Access to livestock drugs through over-the-counter (OTC) channels was curbed considerably starting in 2017. Soon, OTC antibiotics may no longer be available through traditional channels at all.

Continuous Education Lands Langeland Farms Inc. 2022 BQA Dairy FARM Award
Continuous Education Lands Langeland Farms Inc. 2022 BQA Dairy FARM Award

Running a total of 1,100 milk cows, 850 replacement heifers and 800 steers, Langeland Farms Inc. in Coopersville, Michigan, is the winner of the 2022 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) – FARM Dairy Award.

Supply Chain Issues Hamper Animal Medicine Availability
Supply Chain Issues Hamper Animal Medicine Availability

Breakdowns in the global supply chain are hitting home for U.S. livestock producers and the veterinarians who serve them, in the form of shortages of commonly used medications.

Cattle Veterinarians Have New Vaccination Guidelines
Cattle Veterinarians Have New Vaccination Guidelines

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently released a first-of-its-kind document on cattle vaccine guidelines.

Here’s What You Need to Document on Drug Treatment Records
Here’s What You Need to Document on Drug Treatment Records

If you or an employee treats an animal with a drug, it’s important to keep adequate and updated treatment records.

Nuisance Birds May Be Showing Up Soon
Nuisance Birds May Be Showing Up Soon

The onset of fall marks the return of nuisance birds to dairy farms and feedlots in cooler climates.

Label Update Addresses Pyrexia In Beef And Dairy Cattle
Label Update Addresses Pyrexia In Beef And Dairy Cattle

Zoetis Draxxin KP is designed to control bovine respiratory disease and, specifically, fever.

74-Year-Old Veterinarian Offers to Give Away his Practice to Attract Replacement
74-Year-Old Veterinarian Offers to Give Away his Practice to Attract Replacement

A rural veterinarian in Faribault County, Minn., is offering to give away his practice, clinic, pickup and even the vet clinic cat, in an effort to recruit his replacement.

Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar
Vilsack Weighs In On Parallel Between COVID-19 and Animal Disease Outbreaks

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the country anything, it’s that there is a tremendous amount of synergy between the circumstances of a pandemic involving humans and those involving animals. 

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U.S. Cattle Industry Faces Emergence of its Own Novel Virus

At a point in history when a novel virus dominates the news cycle and impacts our lives daily, another novel virus has emerged in the United States – this time, in the cattle population.

<p>Grazing fresh young alfalfa can induce bloat in cattle. Bloat can sometimes be fatal to cattle.</p>
Bloat in Cattle: How Real is the risk?

Grazing fresh young alfalfa can induce bloat in cattle. Bloat can sometimes be fatal to cattle.

Beating Bloat in Calves
Beating Bloat in Calves

Bloat in dairy calves can become very serious, very quickly. Aggressive feeding plans can lead to delayed abomasal emptying, increasing the risk for bloat. However, a focus on feeding volume and proper concentrations.